What is perc (perchloroethylene)?
There are a number of different chemical compounds that we are dependent on without actually being aware about it. Perchloroethylene is one of them, which happens to be a really useful compound that has helped us in a number of different ways for quite some time now. However, not many people are aware of it simply because this is not the name that it is most widely known with. Some of the other names that are used by this compound include tetracholoroethylene as well as “dry cleaning fluid”. Whenever you drop off your clothes to be dry-cleaned, this would be the compound that is being made use of.
The compound is produced by decomposition of hexacholorethylene. The production took place way back in the early 19th century by Michael Faraday. Not much has been altered with the original method since the discovery. Although the synthesis is still carried out, the approaches have been varied. Another alternative way to obtaining this compound would be when a compound like 1, 2 dicholoroethane has been heated to a temperature of 4000C along with chlorine. Common catalysts used for this reaction include potassium chloride, aluminum chloride as well as activated carbon.
When looking into the applications of this particular compound, it is hard to not talk about its usage in the dry cleaning industry. This is a very unstable, nonflammable and volatile compound, which restricts its usage to a large extent. Therefore, it serves as an excellent solvent of organic materials. Owing to its abilities to get rid of grime and hard to remove dirt, it also finds usage in the automobile industry when there is a need to degrease metal components as well as in other similar industries. At times, there might be a variety of tetrachloroethylene in spot removers and paint strippers as well, owing to its ability to remove artificial layers.
This is not a very safe compound to be around, and it is recommended to exercise caution when handling the compound. In fact, studies have indicated that there is a very high probability of developing conditions like Parkinson’s disease as well as other conditions of the central nervous systems. Since direct and continuous exposure can be dangerous, this compound is typically handled by use of gloves and other gear to ensure absolute safety. However, there is no comprehensive conclusion of any of these studies and it is anticipated that more studies will be conducted before anything can be deduced about the compound.
Besides being somewhat dangerous to human beings, this compound can also be lethal to the environment if not handled with care. It is commonly said to be a cause of soil pollution due to careless discarding by the people that make use of them. The cleaning up of this liquid is supposed to be harder than that of water. Remediation is the technique that has been adopted in order to fix any untoward leakage of this particular compound. With over a hundred years of history behind it, it appears that this is one very important chemical that you ought to know a little about.
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